New data depict state of progress in pharmacy workforce development

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Seoul, 12 September 2017 — Twenty-one countries, representing all five World Health Organization regions, have shared information on their pharmaceutical workforce development work in a new publication by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP). “Research, development and evaluation strategies for pharmaceutical education and workforce: A global report” was launched today at the World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. It contains the findings of a survey of FIP member organisations and educators, and concludes that, while progress towards achieving FIP’s 13 Pharmaceutical Workforce Development Goals (PWDGs; developed in 2016) varies, all countries, regardless of economic status, have reported some degree of alignment with the goals, which cover issues such as having competency-based training frameworks and advanced and specialist development.

Case studies from the following countries can be found in the publication: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Ghana, Great Britain, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, Paraguay, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, Uganda, UAE, USA, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The document, intended as a tool for FIP member organisations to support the adoption of the PWDGs, contains evidence-based expert recommendations, such as on strategies for advancing the workforce agenda. It also highlights that global engagement is needed to make research, development and evaluation strategies the critical next step in workforce development. In particular, it promotes more routine use of technology-driven education and discusses better ways of evaluating this.

“This publication is a starting point for a global discussion on how to achieve progress on workforce development goals through evidence, evaluation and progressive policy planning. FIP encourages global leaders in professional education research, in addition to leadership bodies and universities, to contribute to the process of identifying a global agenda for workforce development,” said Professor Ian Bates, FIP Education development team director.